If there’s one thing at the very top of our wish list this festive season, it’s definitely flawless, glowing skin. We’re talking about the type of luminous that has your friends asking whether you’ve just had a facial or completed a raw alkaline cleanse. The ironic thing is, the time of year when we’re all lusting after flawless skin is often the hardest time to get it. From heavy sunscreens to late nights and the drying effect of the sun, we’ve got a lot to contend with in the warmer months.

Plus, much like a ‘summer body’, your perfect summer skin is created in the winter. If you’ve neglected your skin all year (whoops!), unfortunately, it’s probably going to be looking more lackluster than luminous. Thankfully, even if you’ve slacked on your skincare, not all hope is lost. There are a few handy tricks you can use to fake a flawless, Margot Robbie-worthy complexion at the last minute.

3 Tips For Naturally Flawless, Shine-Free Skin

Start from scratch

Image: iStock

In order to achieve beautiful, radiant skin, you really need to nail your prep. If you get your skincare right, you won’t need to apply nearly as much face makeup. This will make it so much easier to achieve that summery, fresh-faced glow! Begin with washing your face with a radiance-boosting cleanser. There are plenty of cleansing products out there specially formulated to brighten your skin. Look for one that contains ingredients like vitamin C, wild rose or sea algae.

Then, it’s time to apply a balancing toner to your face and neck with a cotton pad. This will help reduce the size of your skin pores and soak up any excess oils. Determine whether you’ve got dry, oily, sensitive or combination skin and opt for a toner that’s specifically designed for your skin type.

The same goes for your moisturiser or day cream. Look for one that addresses your specific skin needs, but also contains the skin-brightening ingredients Glycolic acid or vitamin C. Make sure you press it on, rather than rubbing or lathering. This will stop you from going overboard with product and will also help you improve blood flow to the skin.

Lastly, finish with a spritz of face mist for some added hydration. Keep an eye out for one that includes rosewater, as it works wonders for both dry and oily skin. The rosewater melds in with your moisturiser and hydrates or absorbs oil on your skin’s surface as needed. This last step can be the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to prepping your skin for flawless makeup.

Ace your base

Image: Rimmel

Now that you’ve perfectly prepped your skin, it’s time to move on to your makeup. Start with applying a lightweight skin-brightening primer. Opting for one that contains light-reflecting particles will help give you that gorgeous lit-from-within look. Give the primer a minute to settle on your skin, then move on to your foundation.

This step can absolutely make or break your luminous skin look. There’s no point getting your skincare right if you’re just going to slather a heavy, cakey foundation over it. Plus, who wants to wear thick makeup when it’s humid and 30 degrees outside? Not us!

Instead, you need a lightweight foundation that still provides light coverage. We love the new Rimmel Fresher Skin Foundation. Falling somewhere between a BB cream and regular foundation, it’s the perfect way to fake a flawless complexion while allowing your skin to breathe. The best part is: it’s completely shine-free. This means you can skip your finishing powder, which can often completely undo your skin’s dewy look. The foundation is suitable for combination skin and contains SPF 15, making it an ideal everyday product.

Highlight, highlight, highlight!

Image: iStock

There’s a good reason highlighting is a favourite among YouTube beauty vloggers and makeup artists alike. This step is one of the most effective ways to take your skin from dull to “Damn, girl!” However, there is definitely an art to it. There’s a fine line between looking radiant and resembling a Christmas bauble. To get it right, you need to opt for a highlighter that is close to your skin colour and has just a hint of shine. Avoid any products that contain glitter, as they can look too unnatural. Then, it’s just a matter of being strategic with your placement. Highlighter should only be applied to the highest points of your face.

Lightly coat your pointer, middle and ring fingers with the product. Then, gently tap them up and down your cheekbones and dab the leftover onto your brow bones, centre of your face and the tip of your nose. Voila, you’ll look like a radiant goddess without anyone thinking you’ve arrived in costume as the Tin Man!

We’ve already shared a collection of DIY Christmas tree ideas, so now it’s time to create some DIY Christmas ornaments for it. Check out the images that inspired us, and get creative! Whether you’re a sewing machine guru, or you can’t cut in a straight line for your life, you’ll find the perfect DIY project for you. So, head to the local craft store or use your Christmas card photos to make the perfect homemade Christmas ornaments just in time for the holidays.

We know how hard it can be to get rid of those empty wine bottles. They are so pretty and you might need them for something later. But until that time they just take up space. So what can you do with them? There are plenty of ways to reuse wine bottles and craft them into handy tools or stylish decor. Below, we’ve rounded up some projects to make the most out of all your empty bottles. Spare yourself hefty recycling bins and repurpose wine bottles with these ideas. Wine bottles are the perfect receptacle for repurposing. You can do a myriad of different things with empty wine bottles.

Throw a creative curveball into the traditional holiday mix this year with one of these merry and modern homemade wreaths. Start now and you’ll have a holiday wreath for every door in your house. We gathered up over 17 of the BEST DIY Christmas Wreath Ideas to share with you today! These ideas are easy to make and a beautiful way to decorate your front door for the Holidays. We can’t wait to try a couple of these creative ideas this year.

Toner was once considered an essential in the basic three-step skincare regime (cleanse-tone-moisturise). Now, it’s often overlooked. Why? To be honest, they’re mystifying.

Case in point: I’ve been obediently applying a toner since I started caring about skincare, simply because a beautician told me to. But, what the heck does it even do? TBH, I’m not too sure. And, I bet I’m not alone.

That’s why I decided to call in the skin care gurus for the low down on whether you really need to use one.

What is a toner?

According to FacePlus Medispa’s Advanced Dermal and Laser Therapist, Yvonne Culhane, a toner is used to complete the skin cleansing routine. “A toner’s main function is to regulate the PH levels of the skin post-cleansing,” she explains.

How do you apply it?

It’s fairly simple. Right after cleansing, use cotton pads to apply toner to dry skin. The cotton pads should come away completely clean. If you’re using a spray toner, apply liberally over the face. Spray toners can also be sprayed over makeup throughout the day to hydrate the skin, says Emma Hobson, Education Manager for the International Dermal Institute and Dermalogica.

What are the skin benefits?

“Toners are designed as treatment products for specific results for the individual’s skin condition. However, toners or facial mists in general terms are designed to:

Boost the moisture content of the skin to help reduce dehydration and fine lines.

Even out the skin’s surface porosity, meaning balancing out the dry patches.

Introduce water-soluble ingredients into the skin such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, vitamins, peptides etc.

Reduce the quantity of moisturiser required making them economical to use. If you skip the toner application you’ll find you need to add more moisturiser to get the same result. Another benefit of a spray toner is you can keep one in your bag to freshen up throughout the day,” continues Hobson.

How do you choose the right one?

Like any other skincare product, the key to choosing the right toner is to pick one that’s suited to your skin type. As a general rule of thumb, avoid toners with alcohol and artificial fragrance, as they can be drying, warns Hobson.

How To Wear The Embroidered Trend This Season

Gucci has attached embroidery to bags and placed it on denim jackets. Motifs track down the legs of slim jeans, embellish the shoulders of cotton shirts and add a statement to satin bombers. So just how should you wear the trend and personalise your look? We have some suggestions that will position you right on trend.

Choose a cotton poplin shirt with floral embroidery across the front. Wear it loose over a plain white tee and a pair of skinnies.

On cooler days, pair an oversized sweater with a pair of jeans with floral motifs.

Choose a simple black mini dress in velvet with a floral embroidered front. Team this with a pair of black block heeled booties or suede over-the-knee boots.

For a classic combination with a twist, marry a crisp white shirt with a pair of embroidered high-waisted jeans.

Look for embroidered sleeve details that reference this season’s military jacket.

Wear a dark satin bomber jacket with embroidered back motif over a pair of cropped jeans and loafers. Add a small neck scarf to add a chic element to your outfit.

Play around with the monochrome trend and go with one shade for top, coat and pants. Add embroidery elements to make the outfit pop.

Play With Textures To Add Interest To Your Embroidered Look

Playing around with the textures available this season will give your outfit extra texture and interest. Look at combining wool, cotton, leather, satin, velvet and denim to give your look a more individualised style. Whether you add texture for accents or as a focal point, your embroidery trend will be fresh and trendy this season.

Add a faded denim jacket with embroidered flowers and butterflies over a feminine white cotton dress. Finish the look with a pair of black detailed ankle boots.

Wear a woollen blazer, simple cotton tee with a mini leather skirt with embroidered flowers ready for the office.

Choose a tailored black silk shirt to wear with an A-Line black velvet mini with a floral embroidered front.

For a casual yet chic look, pair a light blue poplin shirt with floral motifs under a loose suede shirt and leather pants.

Wear a satin bomber with embellished fish or flowers. Team with a pair of cut of jeans and a white tee.

The embroidery trend has tons of options available and we have selected some ideas to inspire you. How will you embrace the embroidery trend this season? We would love to hear how you adopt the look for your lifestyle. Whether you are off to work, a movie, gallery opening or Sunday brunches, there is a way to incorporate embroidery into your look. Work with the textures that are available to you to make a look that will see you at the front of the pack this season.

To add extra warmth for colder days and nights, look at the myriad of coat styles that are available this season. Choose well and this will help enhance your embroidered outfit, keep you on trend, and have the added advantage of keeping you warm!

Featured Image: Olivia Palermo has blended casual with a sophisticated edge that heroes her poplin embroidered shirt. Her cropped leather flares, brocade booties and suede overshirt, give this look a distinct edge to this season’s trends.

This is a twist on this season’s monochrome look but with the addition of embroidered motifs on the mini skirt. Barbora finished this look with a simple black button through shirt, black handbag with contrasting gold chain, and a large brimmed hat to create a chic and feminine style.

Jacqueline Mikuta wears a pair of embroidered denims with chili and rose motifs down each leg. She wears an oversized grey sweater and keeps the look casual with a pair of white sneakers. The look is accessorized with an over-the-shoulder black bag that completes this super urban look, ready in time for Sunday Brunch.

Kayla Seah combines embroidered detail on this satin bomber jacket with a pair of rolled-up jeans and stunning flats in Bordeaux. She pulls her outfit together with a scarlet striped top, a pair of aviators and small neck scarf that takes this look from simply cool to uber-chic.

Amiee Song combines some of this season’s hot-ticket items – leather, the mini and embroidered motifs – to present this cool and cultured look. An oversized blazer is paired with a grey tee, worn over this sassy leather mini with embroidered red roses. She completes the look with a pair of velvet Prada flats and the ultimate in style, a brown Birkin Bag!

Cheralee Lyle wears the classic combo of a crisp, white shirt and jeans, adorned with an embroidered floral motif that will keep you right on trend this season. The strappy heels add both a sexy and sophisticated edge to the overall look. She completes the outfit with a pair of aviators and a white chained bag.

Christine Andrews wears an uber-cool denim jacket with fabulous embroidered details on its back, sleeves and front. She layers the look with a white lace dress that is delicate and feminine and contrasts well with the grunginess of the jacket. She finishes the look with those glamorous must-have Gucci boots, black handbag and sunglasses.

Alexandra Guerain shows how to be chic, and on trend, during pregnancy. She wears an embroidered denim jacket with roses and butterflies across the sleeves and the shoulders. This is paired with an oversized black pull dress with its extra-long sleeves, a pair of simple over-the-knee boots and a croc skin purse to complete a comfortable, yet sophisticated look.

Black pull dress, Thigh High Boots and Denim Jacket – all by New Look.

Annabelle Fleur makes the most of the embroidered trend with the richly coloured flowers and butterflies across her Gucci Dionysus bag. Extra embroidered details are also found on the cuffs of her military-style jacket. The slim line jeans, scarlet shirt, trench coat and strappy heels all help to add a classy edge to the overall look.

Lisa RVD wears a BoHo chic jacket with embroidered flowers on the sleeves and gold coin and flower motifs on the front. She keeps the rest of this look simple with a black knit and olive asymmetric mini, helping to emphasise the jacket. A great pair of Balenciaga boots give the outfit an overall girly grunge flavour.

This little black dress has been given an extra dose of femininity with its all-over embroidered floral motifs. Brittany Xavier finished off this look with a pair of black ankle boots, burgundy croc patterned hand back and the Aviator glasses add an element of cool to the overall style. On cooler days add tights, a simple oversized scarf and maxi coat or suede leather jacket to keep the look feminine and fresh.

Isabel Sellés transports the embroidered high-waisted jeans into this season with this pair of mid-denims and their floral motifs, a basic men’s white tee and two-toned pumps. When the weather turns cold, simply add a stylish boyfriend cardigan, or camel maxi coat, and an oversized scarf for extra warmth.

Nika Huk creates a fun, sexy take on the embroidery trend with this uber-cool satin bomber. She pairs denim cut-offs, a simple logo Tee and sexy black strappy sandals to finish the look. During the winter months, add a pair of ripped skinnies and heeled ankle boots to hero the jacket and keep warm.